Is Iran ready to sit down and negotiate with the United States? According to a sermon delivered on Tuesday by Iran's Supreme Leader, not exactly. In the sermon, reported on by State-controlled Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei said that Americans don't understand negotiation, so for the sake of Iraqis, Iran's leaders will merely 'transfer' their views to the American side. [Skip down about halfway for the section on the United States].

Mashad:
On Tuesday evening, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Sayed
Ali Khamenei, addressed thousands of pilgrims at the holy shrine of the eighth
Shiite Imam, the revered Imam Reza [],
in this northeastern city.

Taking
measure of prospects for the nation and government in the new Iranian year of
1385, which has been named after the exalted Prophet, the Leader [Ali Khamenei]
elaborated the Islamic System's positions on issues such as nuclear energy,
technology, and the Security Council, as well as making certain comments on
negotiations with the United States about Iraq, and adding that the nation and its
statesmen will steadfastly guard their rights with resolve, hope, solidarity
and a reliance on the Divine Graces.

At the
beginning of the meeting, held in the grand Razavi courtyard in the holy shrine
of Imam Ali-ibn Mousa al-Reza, the Leader said that it was conducive to
spiritual development in the new year that Nowrouz [Iranian New Year] and the
Arba'in [the mourning ceremony for the beheading of The Prohet's grandson, Imam
Hussein ] have occurred
simultaneously.

He also
said that the Arba'in was the first manifestation of affection for the grave
soil and tomb of the Master of Martyrs, Imam Hussein [This holiday falls 40
days after the date of the beheading of Mohammad's Grandson, Imam Hussein, and was the
first time people came to worship at Hussein's grave] and from the outset, this
site was like a magnet. Even after long centuries, this place continues to
attract the hearts of those who love the Prophet's household, as well as the
hearts of all the world's free men, who seek salvation, dignity and pride.

Ayatollah
Khamenei pointed to the blessed naming of 1385 after the exalted prophet of
Islam, noting that the exalted prophet was the perfect personification of the
virtues of all divine prophets and God's friends throughout history, and is the
brightest galaxy in this global being, which has encompassed thousands of star
systems and suns of virtue and magnanimity.

Discussing
the characteristics of the exalted prophet, the leader of Islamic Revolution
described knowledge coupled with morality, leadership with prudence, worship with
service, Jihad with compassion, dignity with modesty, keeping abreast of time
with farsightedness, and sincerity with political complexity.

Ayatollah
Kahamenei described the heavy burden of responsibility for officials and for the
people in the year of the Exalted Prophet, adding that all of history and all
years belong to that unique being, but that the special naming [of the year 1385
for The Prophet] means that the Iranian nation and government has decided, in
this year, to take a great stride toward a community and civilization which was
envisioned by the holy prophet. This is to be a year of hope, work, service, and
intelligent planning for the future.

Ayatollah
Khamenei then turned to the general state of the country, and described the key
feature of the incumbent administration [of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] as its firm resolve to tirelessly serve the
people. He said that the popularly-elected president and cabinet, by sticking
to slogans of the revolution and the revered Imam Khomeini's thoughts, are striving
to exhaust all methods for unraveling the knots that constrain the people. He
said that the cabinet, besides returning the nation's infrastructure to the desired
condition, should exert itself protecting national dignity and independence
abroad.

Ayatollah
Khamenei referred to the nation's considerable opportunities in different
fields. He said that by the logic of the Islamic Republic of Iran, development
and progress is meaningful only if coupled with justice, adding that the incumbent
administration is determined to take a giant step in the great movement that
began with the Islamic Revolution. The grand leader of the revolution described
"innovation and production in the broadest sense" as the immediate need
for the country, emphasizing that the key to the salvation of the nation is to
produce "labor and goods," to produce "science and
technology," to produce "wealth and the gnosis of God," and to
produce "dignity and high-caliber people." He said that an effort in
any of these fields is to struggle in the way of Allah.

Ayatollah
Khamenei urged university students and professors to launch an extensive drive to
seek knowledge and produce science and technology, noting that there must be a
major drive for Iran to become a scientifically-driven country, and that the
younger generation must link science to technology, technology to industry, and
industry to the country's development.

The
leader called every level of society to a general movement toward
"progress and justice," saying that in the year of the Exalted
Prophet, every Iranian national, wherever they reside and regardless of what
they do, should take a stride forward, according to the logic and tenets of the
Exalted Prophet of Islam. There will be no giving up, no fanaticism, and no
frustration permitted. Rather, the heart of every Muslim is filled with Prophet-like
hope.

SECTION DISCUSSING THE UNITED STATES

Ayatollah
Khamenei then touched upon the attempts of the nation's enemies to torpedo
Iran's bright and hopeful progress. He noted that American officials make many
allegations about Iran, concerning human rights, democracy, atomic energy and
terrorism, and discussed their aims. He said that the Iranian nation mustn't
let the economic, political and cultural dominance of the United States be
restored, and as in the Pahlavi era [], let the Americans take the reins by
installing the country's administrators.

Elaborating
on American methods to that effect, he touched on threats and intimidation,
propaganda and psychological warfare, creating frustration people, sowing
discord, inciting sectarian emotion, creating insecurity and doubt over the
future, and finally forcing officials to give up though the process of
attrition. "All of these methods and attempts will get nowhere, due to the
vigilance of the nation and its administration."

Another Responsibility of Iran's Supreme Leader is to Oversee the Spiritual Welfare of the Nation's Military. Here is the Great Man, Giving Succor to the Nation's Brave Men in Uniform. (above and below)

The
leader of revolution downplayed U.S. threats to impose sanctions on the Iranian
nation, and asked why they threaten the Iranian nation with sanctions, while it
already has some sanctions in place. "Our nation has achieved all of its
scientific, medical, military and industrial progress while already having
sanctions imposed, so don't bother trying to blackmail us with sanctions,"
he advised American officials.

Recalling
the contempt of the world's nations for the U.S. government, especially the
Islamic ummah [community], Ayatollah Khamenei rejected the claims of American
officials that Iran is isolated. "In order to determine which one, Iran or
America, is isolated, we suggest exposing the truth by holding a plebiscite across
the Islamic world to appraise the ratings of the Iranian president and the
American president," he said, daring America's rulers take the suggestion,
but to prepare for the humiliating results.

Ayatollah
Khamenei described the allegations on Iran's violation of human rights as funniest
joke of our times, adding that an America of Hiroshima, an America of
Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, and an America of censorship and tyranny, calls
itself the flag-bearer of human rights. He suggested a global plebiscite to expose
the truth and prove that in the court of global public opinion, the incumbent
U.S. president is in the same position as Saddam and Milosevic as an icon of
evil.

Concerning
comments on negotiations with America about Iraq, Ayatollah Khamenei reaffirmed
Iran's positions and said: "We declare that we will not negotiate on issues
of contention between Iran and America, because by their logic, there is no
real negotiation. This is just a tool for them impose their demands on the
other side."

Ayatollah
Khamenei pointed to the impudent, distorted and improper attitude of American
officials on the subject [of negotiation], adding that American officials both
in and out of Iraq have repeatedly called on Iran to negotiate, and that these
requests had fallen on deaf ears. However, as the calls were recently repeated
once more, Iranian officials reconsidered the possibility that negotiation over
Iraq might be effective for defusing the tragic insecurity there, and have agreed
to transfer their views to the United States.

Touching
on the role of American, British and Israeli intelligence in creating
insecurity in Iraq, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "Our specific viewpoint on
Iraq is that the American government must hand over the country, stop inciting
sectarian feelings and creating insecurity and let the Iraqi nation run itself,
so that calm can be restored."

Referring
to rumors from U.S. officials that Iran wants to negotiate with America on
various issues, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "Recent behavior by American
officials demonstrates their domineering tendencies, and that a negotiation is
the same as summoning Iranian officials. We say to them that you are damned
wrong if you think you are summoning Iranian officials."

Ayatollah
Khamenei asserted that negotiations over Iraq are permissible, provided that the
relevant officials can impress on the Americans Iran's views on the issue. But
if this is meant to provide a venue for the deceitful Americans to continue
their bullying, further negotiations with them on the Iraqi situation will be
prohibited, just like they are on other issues.

Ayatollah
Khamenei devoted the last section of his speech to the issue of nuclear energy,
saying: "The gist of the enemy's idea is that the Iranian nation must not
possess nuclear energy, because it will become powerful and no longer accept the
bully."

Underscoring
the dire need for the Iranian nation to develop nuclear energy, Ayatollah
Khamenei said: "If today, the nation fails to obtain nuclear energy, it
will be set back dozens of years, and when in the near future, energy is
needed, it will have to stretch out its hands to aliens and enemies, and we may
have to satisfy a small part of our demand by tolerating humiliation, insult
and the trampling of its dignity and self respect."

Touching
on the gradual depletion of oil resources and the ensuing attention of the
nations of the world, including the United States and the European countries, on
new and cleaner energies, especially nuclear, Ayatollah Khamenei said:
"The entire world utilizes nuclear energy for progress and future security.
Consequently, we emphasize that nuclear technology is the undeniable right of
the Iranian people and nation. Neither myself nor any other official may give
in to America's bullying."

Concerning
the threats to the Iranian nation from the specter of the Security Council,
Ayatollah Khamenei said: "Our nation has experience with the Security
Council. During the imposed war [the Iran-Iraq War ] the Council, when the enemy
had occupied thousands of kilometers of Iranian soil, issued resolutions calling
for an end to the and defense of the Iranian nation. But the Islamic System
[Iran] rejected them, because they were against the country's strategic interests.
Neither will we accept a decision by the Security Council that is against our strategic
interests."

Concluding
his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized: "Our nation and young people,
along with its officials, stand against all pressure, and our common resolve,
together with Divine Blessings and the assistance of the Patron of the Age (the
last Shiite Imam who is alive, but hidden) heralds a bright future for the
country."